Hrant Dink Foundation

Halaskargazi Cad. Sebat Apt. No. 74 D. 1

Osmanbey-Şişli

34371 Istanbul/TURKEY

Phone: 0212 240 33 61 Fax: 0212 240 33 94

E-mail: [email protected] www.nefretsoylemi.org www.hrantdink.org

Media Watch on Hate Speech Project Coordinators

Nuran Gelişli

Melisa Akan

Analyst

Ceyda Ulukaya

Translator

Nigar Hacızade

Media Watch on Hate Speech Project is funded by Global Dialogue, Friedrich Naumann Foundation, and the British Embassy. The views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the views of the funders.

CONTENTS

MONITORING HATE SPEECH IN THE MEDIA 1

MONITORING HATE SPEECH IN NATIONAL AND LOCAL NEWSPAPERS IN TURKEY 2

FINDINGS 4 NEWS ITEMS SELECTED IN THE PERIOD MAY – AUGUST 2012 14 EXAMPLES WITHIN CATEGORIES 24 1)ENMITY/ WAR DISCOURSE THE PKK IS AN ARMENIAN TERROIST MOVEMENT 24 WHAT HAPPENS IF THE KURDISH PEOPLE STEP ASIDE? 26 HRANT DINK FOUNDATION AND THE HATE TRADE 28

2) SYMBOLIZATION SEPERATISM BY RAKEL DINK 30 YES TO CEASAREAN SECTION! ABORTION WILL DEPEND 32

3) BLASPHEMY/ INSULT/ DENIGRATION THE SOLUTION IN CYPRUS IS TO FULLY EMBRACE TRNC 34

4) EXAGERRATION/ ATTRIBUTION/ DISTORTION THEY HAVE TURNED TURKEY INTO A CHURCH 36

OTHER DISADVANTAGED GROUPS 37 A MIND ECLIPSE (1): LEGITIMIZING (!) AND DEFENDING (?) A LIFE STYLE THAT HAS DECLARED WAR ON HUMAN NATURE AND PROGENY 38 IF I SIGHED (CHOCOLATE WITH A VIBRATOR) 40 TRANSSEXUAL AND TRANSVESTITE FIGHT WITH A CLEAVER 41

MEDIA CRITICISM 43 SÖZCÜ’S CALL FOR REVENGE: STOP CRYING, DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY 43 YOUR BODY, MY DECISION... 46 YENI AKIT AND HABERVAKTIM TO JOURNALISTS: PRO-DPI, PRO-PKK, PRO-ARMENIAN 48

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

MONITORING HATE SPEECH IN THE MEDIA

In Turkey, we frequently witness the use of biased, prejudiced and discriminatory language in the media. The provocative, racist and discriminatory language used in the news - in particular in the headline and news headings - becomes an instrument that entrenches stereotypes and fuels feelings of hostility and discrimination in the society. Despite the fact that there are universal and national principles of journalism and that some media organizations have even issued their own code of ethics, many journalistic end products happen to violate these principles. The use of such a language entrenches unrest in the society as well as a widespread prejudice against vulnerable groups. Targeted individuals and groups become restless and silent and are forced to renounce from their right to participate in social and political life, something which is a sine qua non for democracy. Such provocative and stigmatizing use of language can sometimes result in attacks on the members or gathering places of marginalized and antagonized groups. At the core of hate speech lie prejudices, racism, xenophobia, partiality, discrimination, sexism and homophobia. Factors such as cultural identities as well as group characteristics have an impact on the use of hate speech; yet certain circumstances such as rising nationalism or intolerance towards what is different further increases hate speech as well as its impact. Due to various reasons, Turkey has been witnessing polarization between various segments of the society; thus intolerance towards the different, the “other” is becoming more and more widespread. Conflicts in the Southeast Anatolia ongoing for about 30 years, the sudden demographic change in Turkey caused by forced displacement of people due to the conflict, as well as the economic, social and cultural conflicts have all played role in the escalation of tension between communities. On the other hand, democratization efforts such as the initiatives in minority rights and liberal economy as well as the way the Cyprus Question debate is perceived and portrayed as “plots on Turkey by foreign powers” also nurture polarization and enmity. Finally, the ongoing debate about laicism has already turned into a common domain of conflict. Hence, the manifestation of hostile perceptions and attitudes towards different groups and individuals, who are known or assumed to be members of such groups, has become an important and ever-growing problem in Turkey. Even opinion leaders such as government officials, opposition leaders and public servants have no qualms when it comes to using such racist and discriminating language. As one may recall, right before the 2005 Conference on Ottoman Armenians during the Decline of the Empire: Issues of Scientific Responsibility and Democracy, the Justice Minister of the time, Cemil Çiçek, had stated that conference organizers were “stabbing us in the back”' and had called for “whatever necessary is to be done”. Media, often dubbed as the fourth estate, is one of the most effective cultural conductors. Therefore, as much as it has the power to highlight diversity and difference, it can also be extremely instrumental and guiding in terms of spreading or banalizing a conflict. If the media behaves irresponsible or careless, it can very easily trigger, nurture and strengthen racism and hatred between people, and worst of all, it can legitimize and justify such attitudes. For many years, the media in Turkey has been one of the active sources of nationalistic and discriminatory discourse. Such a journalism practice substantially contributed to the polarization in

1

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

society. When we look into some of the hate crimes that took place in recent years, it becomes easier to understand the impact of the media. Yasin Hayal, who is on trial as the instigator of the Hrant Dink murder, said in his statement that, “He did not know Hrant Dink personally, but had read from newspapers that he was an enemy of the Turks." The person who is accused of attacking the priest of the Church of St. Sophia in Izmir in December 2007 stated that he did the attack to become a hero like Ogün Samast. One of the main objectives of the Hrant Dink Foundation, which was founded after the murder of Hrant Dink for the purpose of carrying on his dreams, ideals and struggle, is to contribute to ending the polarization and enmity in society.

MONITORING HATE SPEECH IN NATIONAL AND LOCAL NEWSPAPERS IN TURKEY

Aim and scope of the study

The overarching aim of the study Media Watch on Hate Speech is to contribute to combating racism, discrimination and intolerance in Turkey. Taking into account the importance of civilian oversight on the media, as one of the instruments for producing and reproducing racism, discrimination and alienation, the specific goal of this study is to foster newspapers’ respect for human rights and differences, draw attention to the discriminatory language and hate speech used in news articles and columns and thereby raise awareness and encourage the print media to stop using hate speech and discriminatory language.

In the long run, the study aims to support non-governmental organizations in combating hate speech, enhancing media watch skills, and working together systematically to ensure that the media is respectful of social and cultural diversity and upholds equity in its language and methods.

Within the framework of the “Media Watch on Hate Speech” - a project carried out by the Foundation so as to achieve the abovementioned goals - the national and local press are scanned, news articles and columns that feature discriminatory, alienating and target-making discourse are identified, analyzed and brought to public attention through reports and the website www.nefretsoylemi.org. The content provided on the project website is also shared through various social media, such as Facebook and Twitter. The report is sent to non-governmental organizations, media organizations and professional organizations, and also published on nefretsoylemi.org.

Apart from monitoring of newspapers, the project aims at raising sensitivity about hate speech by organizing search conferences, seminars and trainings with NGO representatives, jurists, academics, professional organizations and journalists.

Throughout the project, with a view to inform people about the concept of “hate speech”, to provide opportunities for discussion of possible ways and methods of countering discriminatory and racist discourse, and to encourage a more conscious and respectful language towards human rights issues and minorities in the media; we hold panel discussions in participation with internationally acclaimed academics working in the field, we organize meetings on hate speech in universities whereby project

2

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012 findings are discussed based on specific cases. Furthermore, we make efforts so that there are lectures on hate speech, there are theses and dissertations that study hate speech and in line with these efforts, we are preparing a one-semester syllabus. Moreover, we also plan to publish a book that will feature the themes and subjects covered by the syllabus.

Methodology

While the main focus has been on hate speech based on ethnicity and religious identity, we have also included sexist and homophobic discourse in our media watch project. The media watch project has employed the critical discourse analysis method as well as some other associated techniques, which are the general method of choice in media studies. In line with the characteristics of the cases studied, textual and iconographic (photographs, pictures and other illustrations) analyses were carried out. With a view to designate specific indicators for the content and discourse of the news, a quantitative scaling has been used in the first place, followed by the exposure of the various elements such as where (on which pages) and how the hateful content is covered, which sources have produced it and which individuals/groups are targeted.

Afterwards, the news articles and columns containing hate speech elements - previously identified in accordance with the purpose and scope specified above - have been categorized in line with the characteristics of the discourse being used. In referral to previously conducted international scientific studies and in consideration of the country-specific lingual and cultural differences, the following hate categories have been identified:

1) Exaggeration / Attribution / Distortion: Any discourse that features the elements of negative generalization, distortion, exaggeration or negative attribution targeting a community or a person based on a specific incident is considered under this category.

2) Blasphemy / Insult / Degradation: Any discourse that contains direct swearing, insult or denigration (e.g. use of words such as treacherous, dog, mud-blood etc) falls under this category.

3) Enmity / War Discourse: Any discourse that includes hostile, war-mongering expressions about a community is classified under this category.

4) Use of Inherent Identity as an element of Hate or Humiliation / Symbolization: This category has been created for discourses that use various aspects of one’s inherent identity as an element of hate, humiliation or symbolization. For instance, the negative implications of the phrases such as “your mother is Armenian any way.” or “is your surname Davutoğlu or Davutyan?”

Sampling Criteria

Approximately 1000 local newspapers and all national newspapers are watched through the media monitoring centre based on pre-determined key words (such as collaborator, Turcophobe, separatist etc.). Additionally, a total of 16 newspapers, chosen in line with their circulation, are manually monitored as part of the media watch. The manual media watch takes place five days a week, and each day there is a reading of four newspapers chosen randomly out of 16 newspapers.

3

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

The following newspapers have been manually-monitored: Zaman, Posta, Hürriyet, Sabah, News Türk, Milliyet, Vatan, Akşam, Sözcü, Yeni Şafak, Star, Cumhuriyet, Taraf, Radikal, Birgün and Evrensel.

Out of all the news items under media watch, the news articles and columns that contain direct and explicit hate speech against religious or ethnic groups as well as women or LGBTT individuals are selected. Elements other than news articles and columns have been left outside the scope of the media watch exercise (such as ads, supplements, caricatures etc.).

The data obtained as a result of a 4-month media watch exercise are examined in a periodical report, under two sections. The groups who are targeted by hate speech, the reasons why they are targeted as well as the targeting methods employed are all explained with examples through cases.

FINDINGS

In the period spanning the months of May-June-July-August 2012 of the “Media Watch on Hate Speech” project, 101 op-ed columns and news articles were identified that targeted national, ethnic and religious groups. Content targeting women and LGBT individuals, which totals 35 items, is discussed in the second part of the report. While not assessed as hate speech, content targeting individuals or institutions is discussed in the last section as part of media criticism.

Compared to the previous periods, the amount of content evaluated as hate speech kept its trend of ascension in this given period of the second four months of 2012.

Graph 1 Hate Speech Content over Four-Month Periods

4

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

Variety of the groups targeted by hate speech, on the other hand, kept a similar trend to the two previous periods. While the number of targeted groups was 171 in the two previous periods, that number was identified as 15 during the period at hand.

Graph 2 Variety of Targeted Groups over Four-Month Periods

In the period from May to August 2012, the majority of the content identified as containing hate speech was in the national press. While 82% of the content evaluated as hate speech is comprised of columns and news articles published in 13 different national newspapers, 18% was identified within the content of local papers. In parallel to previous periods, opinion pieces were once again the medium where one comes across hate speech the most.

In the period between May – August 2012, like in the previous ones, the groups that were targeted most often were, respectively, Armenians, Christians, Jews and Greeks. Out of this group, the aspect that stood out the most in terms of hate speech towards Armenians, which we may identify as a fixed category, was their association with the PKK within the context of the recently intensifying conflict. This discourse, produced through an understanding that “Muslim Kurds are harmless and the PKK is an Armenian movement,” was also seen to be reproduced at times with content targeting Christians and Jews. However, the most dominant assertion was that of Armenians supporting the PKK, looking for opportunities to harm Turkey, the “eternal enemy,” and being a risk factor.

Another issue is the “crypto” discussion, specifically brought up by columnists from papers that have a nationalist-conservative editorial line. The generally accepted method for this sort of content was identified as claiming the individuals or groups that are being criticized/accused/targeted are “crypto Armenians, crypto Jews or crypto Christians” or associating these groups with crime or terror in order to stress their “unreliability.” Part of the content, on the other hand, targeted Armenians through journalist-author Ali Bayramoğlu or Rakel Dink, rendering the individual’s identity or political views material for enmity and completely turning into hate speech towards Armenians (see pp. 30-31).

During the period evaluated here, groups targeted by hate speech were Christians and Jews equally, following Armenians just as in the previous period. A large part of the hate speech towards Christians once again often featured content themed after the “Crusade mentality.” This type of content

1 http://nefretsoylemi.org/rapor_aciklamalar.asp#

5

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

sometimes also targeted Jews, warning readers that these groups “will not make good friends,” presenting missionary activity as a dangerous element or insulting them by calling them “gavurs,” or, infidels. Hate speech towards Rums (Orthodox Greeks of Anatolia) was usually also framed around these headings, as they were mostly mentioned together with Armenians and Christians. In addition, phrases that could be called “characteristic” and that reproduce enmity towards Rums in the Turkish media, such as “the ignominy of the Rum” or “the Rum dares to defy”, were also used during this period.

It is also possible to speak of an increase in hate speech towards Kurds during this period. This increase was observed to coincide with the months of July and August, when armed conflict intensified, and the Kurdish people were noted as having been charged within the context of the clashes with the PKK. In this kind of content, the issue was reduced to “Kurdish terror,” either implying that “patience was running thin” or creating enmity by attributing the issue to the Kurdish people.

Content that galvanized enmities towards the BDP or MPs that are part of it were not factored in, since discourse directed at political parties and politicians is assessed within freedom of expression. The headline used by the Sözcü paper on June 21st 2012, which read “Stop crying and do whatever is necessary,” was not included in the statistical analyses but still handled as an example to increased violence in the media’s language. This headline is discussed in the last section of the report (see pp. 43-45).

Graph 3 Groups Targeted by Hate Speech

6

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

In the content examined, distribution of hate speech according to the targeted groups is as follows:

Graph 4 Distribution of Targeted Groups

One of the headings that was not included in statistical analyses but evaluated separately is the discussion that started around the abortion law and reactions to the “My body, my decision” campaign started by bianet. This content included insults to the women participating in the campaign as well as bianet. This was assessed in the last part (see pp. 46-47) in order to highlight the speed with which the media can adopt a targeting/derogatory approach in line with the day’s agenda.

Another heading evaluated in the final section deals with the content that targeted many journalist- writers based on their political views, starting with the campaign Yeni Akit and habervaktim.com waged through Ali Bayramoğlu, as well as Hasan Cemal and Cengiz Çandar among others. Parts of the content targeting Ali Bayramoğlu were marked as hate speech and were included in the statistical analyses as he was accused with “enmity against Turks” via claims of him being Armenian, while other articles were examined in order to showcase how journalists become targets of a type of publishing that is largely based on distortions and disinformation (see pp. 48-51).

In addition to these, as it was handled in the previous reports, news articles and columns containing hate speech against women and LGBT individuals were not included in statistical analyses but evaluated within itself in the second part. The 35 items examined within this context revealed a discourse that insulted women, while homosexuality was largely described as “deviant, debased and posing a danger to society.” Like in the previous periods, the written press continued to represent transvestites and transsexuals using a discourse of “association with crime” and “creating social unrest.”

7

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

Distribution of Content by Type, Newspaper and Categories

Hate speech once again found its place most commonly in columns (74%), while 23% of the examined content was news articles and 1% was reader’s letters. Twenty five percent of said news articles did not cite any sources.

Graph 5 Hate Speech by Genre

In the period examined, hate speech occurred more commonly in national press (82%) and represented in the local press by 18% - a distribution parallel to the previous period.

Graph 6 Hate Speech in National and Local Press

8

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

Hate speech, in this period as in the previous ones, could most commonly be found in newspapers that have a nationalist-conservative editorial line, with Milli Gazete, Yeni Akit, Ortadoğu, Yeniçağ and Yeni Mesaj papers once again being the publications with the most occurrences of hate speech.

Graph 7 Hate Speech in the National Press

Hate speech in the local press is quantitatively less:

Graph 8 Hate Speech in the Local Press

9

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

Cases of hate speech in the papers were assessed under these four categories, just as in the previous period:

1) Exagerration / Attribution/ Distortion 2) Blasphemy / Insult / Denigration 3) Enmity / War discourse 4) Using a natural element of identity as a point of hate or insult / Symbolization

These categories were established to assist in understanding and differentiating between hate speech that so often is set up in different ways, either explicitly or implicitly. It is certainly possible to pinpoint more than one category within the same content, but in those cases the more dominant category was taken into account for the sake of classification.

Within the examined four months, Enmity/ War discourse takes up significant space among these four categories. Blasphemy/ Insult/ Denigration and Exagerration/ Attribution/ Distortion followed respectively. Symbolization was the method least resorted to.

Graph 9 Hate Speech by Categories

Looking at the distribution of categories according to targeted groups reveals that, parallel to previous periods, Enmity/War discourse dominated hate speech towards Armenians. In addition, Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration were also pinned often, while Symbolization had the lowest percentage. It is also noteworthy that in the reports of the past two periods, Enmity/War discourse has been the most prominent category in hate speech towards Armenians.

10

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

Graph 10 Hate Speech Towards Armenians

Enmity/War discourse was the predominant part of the hate speech content towards Christians, while Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration were observed to be represented by a significant percentage.

Graph 11 Hate Speech Towards Christians

11

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

Almost half of the hate speech targeting Jews was in the category of Exagerration/ Attribution/ Distortion, with Enmity/ War discourse also finding itself significant space.

Graph 12 Hate Speech Towards Jews

Finally, Enmity/ War discourse was also the predominant category in terms of hate speech towards Rums.

Graph 13 Hate Speech Towards Rums

12

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

Hate speech targeting Kurds increased during this period, with Enmity/War discourse as the predominant category.

Graph 14 Hate Speech Towards Kurds

As pointed out before, these four categories set up to classify content were established to better understand how hate speech comes to be produced and the predominant category was taken into consideration during classification. Thus it would be misleading to view the categories as constant benchmarks. With that said, in the example of hate speech targeting Armenians, looking at the predominance of Enmity/War discourse this year in conjunction with the past two periods is telling in terms of the representation of Armenians in Turkish media.

The most noteworthy point when comparing categories of hate speech targeting Christians is that Enmity/ War discourse has been the predominant category for the past two periods. Keeping in mind that Christians are most often targeted with content talking of a “rhetoric of Crusades” and missionary activity will allow reaching a more meaningful conclusion.

The second part, where certain cases are examined from a rhetorical perspective, will provide a more illustrative framework.

13

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

NEWS ITEMS SELECTED IN THE PERIOD MAY-AUGUST 2012

Target Date Newspaper Type Author Title Category of Hate Speech Group

01.05.2012 Bursa Haber Column Hasip Öztürk Counter Coup Greek Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration

PKK is an Mehmet 04.05.2012 Milli Gazete Column Armenian Armenian Enmity / War discourse Şevket Eygi movement

Murder culprit Ayşenur Gay, Exagerration / Attribution / 04.05.2012 Özgür Kocaeli News turns out to be Kalaycı Arslan transvestite Distortion homosexual

To the PM: This is 07.05.2012 Anayurt Column Oğuz Güler how PKK terror Armenian Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration would end

Ferzan Özpetek is Süleyman 07.05.2012 Yeni Akit News “Italian” to his LGBTT Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration Ceran own country

Reader Kubilay Yes that’s exactly 08.05.2012 Yeni Akit LGBTT Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration letter Ertekin what you are!!

Mahmut Let us not trust Non- Exagerration / Attribution / 08.05.2012 Milli Gazete Column Toptaş the infidel Muslim Distortion

Turkish How Fethullah Greek, Sabahattin Exagerration / Attribution / 14.05.2012 Yeni Mesaj Column Gülen declared his Armenian, Önkibar Distortion companions! Jewish, Assyrian

An immediate 16.05.2012 Milli Gazete News Milli Gazete measure is LGBTT Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration needed

Seyfullah A huge reaction to 16.05.2012 Yeni Akit News LGBTT Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration Solak the perverse offer

Mehmet Kadri The theatre in 16.05.2012 Yeni Akit News LGBTT Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration Sayılgan Turkey

Worldly and moral

support given to the Greater Christian, Exagerration / Attribution / 17.05.2012 Ortadoğu Column Fikri Atılbaz Middle East Jewish Distortion Project

14

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

Once they were 17.05.2012 Yeni Akit Column Nusret Çiçek LGBTT Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration against the system

Ergenekon's and Armenian, Ali Erkan Armenian and Turkish Exagerration / Attribution / 17.05.2012 Yeni Akit Column Kavaklı Sabbatean Greek, Distortion militants Jewish

Kocaeli Bizim Turkish 21.05.2012 Column Tahsin Talay So what? Enmity / War discourse Yaka Greek

USA backs the 22.05.2012 İstanbul Column Necdet Buluz Armenian Armenian Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration occupation

New danger brought up with Assyrian, 23.05.2012 Milli Gazete Column Ahmet Yavuz land sale is a Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration Chaldean Vatican Colony in Midyat!

Exemplary Zionists Mahmut 23.05.2012 Milli Gazete Column are at the OECD Jewish Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration Toptaş before Cyprus

Adultery is dynamite left at 23.05.2012 Milli Gazete Haber No source LGBTT Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration society’s foundations

Solution in Cyprus Hüseyin Macit Turkish 23.05.2012 Yeni Çağ Column is to fully embrace Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration Yusuf Greek TRNC

Mustafa Spit on the faces Reader 24.05.2012 Yeni Akit Cemal of those without LGBTT Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration letter Bayındır morals and shame

New constitution Burhanettin as a document of 25.05.2012 Milli Gazete Column LGBTT Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration Can nature-centric social contract

The tragedy of the Christian / 23.05.2012 Yeni Çağ Column Nurullah Çetin Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration village dog Jewish

Yes to caesarean Şebnem G. Non- 31.05.2012 Milat Column sections, abortion Symbolization Karacan Muslim will depend

15

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

Burhanettin 01.06.2012 Milli Gazete Column Mind eclipse -1 LGBTT Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration Can

Turkish Greek Turkish 04.06.2012 Vatan News No source torture to 85 year Symbolization Greek old woman

Is the abortion A. Fuat 06.06.2012 Yeni Şafak Column ban a breach on LGBTT Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration Erdoğan freedom?

A Turkish Bey for Independence Christian, 06.06.2012 Yeni Çağ Column Nurullah Çetin does not receive Enmity/War discourse Jewish orders but grants them

The "Transvestite" 06.06.2012 Yeni Alanya News No source revolt in the LGBTT Enmity/War discourse neighborhood

Waiting guard with sentries 06.06.2012 Şok News No source LGBTT Enmity/War discourse against transvestites!

Armenians kill 5 06.06.2012 Vatan News No source Azeri soldiers on Armenian Symbolization the border

“Creatures lower than animals" on 06.06.2012 Yeni Akit News No source Women Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration stage for abortion..

Olive tree 11.06.2012 Yeni Akit News No source massacre from Jewish Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration rogue Jews

12.06.2012 Yeni Akit News Furkan Altınok PKK worships fire Zoroastrian Symbolization

Not a Kurdish Kocaeli Bizim İbrahim Exagerration / Attribution / 13.06.2012 Column problem but a Armenian Yaka Çakıroğlu Distortion terror one

Armenian, Muhsin 13.06.2012 Önce Vatan Column Asım's generation Turkish Symbolization Bozkurt Greek

16

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

"My Comment, 14.06.2012 Milat Column Yakup Köse Women Humiliation / Insults My Life!"

A mind eclipse 3: 15.06.2012 Milli Gazete Column Nurullah Çetin LGBTT Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration Homosexuality

Armenian, Non-Turks fighting 18.06.2012 Ortadoğu Column Abbaz Bozyel Turkish Enmity/War discourse Turkishness Greek

If you're going against the Quran, it doesn't matter if Christian, 18.06.2012 Ortadoğu Column Fikri Atılbaz Enmity/War discourse you recite Al- Jewish Fatiha a thousand times

Does Erdoğan Christian, 18.06.2012 Yeni Çağ Column Hasan Demir even know Al- Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration Jewish Fatiha?

Hüseyin Macit Another crooked Turkish 19.06.2012 Aydınlık Column Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration Yusuf Rum... Greek

It is not important M. Günay to know Al-Fatiha Christian, Exagerration / Attribution / 20.06.2012 Ortadoğu Column Sıddıkoğlu but to live Jewish Distortion accordingly

Stop crying, do 21.06.2012 Sözcü News No source whatever is --- Enmity/War discourse necessary

Armenian, Stranger in his Turkish 21.06.2012 Ortadoğu Column Abbas Bozyel own land, pariah Greek, Enmity/War discourse in his own country Serb, Bulgarian

Mustafa A just order and 25.06.2012 Anayurt Column LGBTT Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration Nevruz Sınacı rifle count

Is calling someone Targeting / Enmity/ War 26.06.2012 Yeni Akit Column Fatih Akkaya "pro-Armenian" Armenian discourse being fascist?

Antalya Mehmet The notecard of 26.06.2012 Column LGBTT Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration Körfez Tosun Antakya MPs

17

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

If you 28.06.2012 İstanbul Column Necdet Buluz overestimate your Arab Enmity/War discourse power..

Armenian, How did we end 28.06.2012 Ortadoğu Column Orhan Karataş Turkish Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration up here? Greek

28.06.2012 Yeni Akit News Newsroom Vay gavur vay! German Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration

Seyit Mehmet Turkey ten years 29.06.2012 Milat Column LGBTT Symbolization Deniz ago and today

Seyfullah Reaction to Hitler 29.06.2012 Yeni Akit News Christian Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration Solak mentality grows

Trying to turn İstanbul Son News agency Muslims into Armenian Enmity / War discourse 02.07.2012 News An (İHA) Protestants

Enmity / War discourse / K. Mete Is Ali Bayramoğlu Armenian 03.07.2012 Milli Gazete Column Tiryaki Armenian? Targeting Servants to Christian Symbolization 03.07.2012 Yeni Akit News Furkan Altınok infidels Exagerration / Attribution / Turning Turkey Christian 03.07.2012 Yeni Mesaj News into a church Distortion Armenian, The Greek Cypriot, Turkish Enmity / War discourse 04.07.2012 İstanbul Column Necdet Buluz Israel, PKK triangle Greek

"A half-doctor will cost you life, a Christian Enmity / War discourse 04.07.2012 Yeni Mesaj Column Hasan Demir half-pastor will cost you religion" Our mothers' Kurds Enmity / War discourse 04.07.2012 Yeni Çağ Column Altemur Kılıç marriage papers Unless these Armenian, Exagerration / Attribution / Mehmet things are done Jewish, 05.07.2012 Milli Gazete Column Distortion Şevket Eygi Turkey will not Christian achieve welfare Is the mosque in Turkish Enmity / War discourse 09.07.2012 Ortadoğu Column Neval Kancar Athens the same Greek as the seminary? Asım The Bayram of Armenian Symbolization 09.07.2012 Yeni Akit Column Yenihaber "Bildirgeç"

Separatism from Armenian Symbolization 11.07.2012 Yeni Akit News - Rakel Dink

18

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

Humanity is Christian, asleep when it's Enmity / War discourse 12.07.2012 Yeni Mesaj Column Akın Aydın Muslim blood Jewish that's flowing "Knowledge Exagerration / Attribution / M. Arif pollution from Jewish 12.07.2012 Anayurt Column Demirer Said Nursi Distortion Example no 2 Turkish Exagerration / Attribution / It was a strange 12.07.2012 Milli Gazete Column Mevlüt Özcan "visit" Greek Distortion Exagerration / Attribution / Muhammed The virtue of the Jewish 13.07.2012 Milli Gazete Column Özkılıç Sahabah 2 Distortion Armenian Kerrar Esat Armenian Enmity / War discourse 13.07.2012 Yeni Çağ Column atrocities in Muş Atalay and its vicinity If I sighed Women Blasphemy/ Insult/Denigration 15.07.2012 Haber Türk Column Fatih Altaylı (Chocolate with a vibrator) Is this how it will Blasphemy/ Insult/ Koray LGBT 16.07.2012 Yeni Akit News be during Taşdemir Denigration Ramadan? The Missionary Christian Symbolization 16.07.2012 Milli Gazete Column Davut Şahin piggy bank What's happening Ankara Haber Armenian Symbolization 17.07.2012 Column Namık Açıkgöz to the Islamists Vaktim that cozy up? Exagerration/ Attribution/ Armenian 19.07.2012 Ortadoğu Column Şükrü Alnıaçık 7 days/24 hours!.. Distortion

Turkish Stuck in a lump of Greek, Enmity / War discourse 19.07.2012 Taka News No source cement Christian

Exagerration / Attribution / Beard question Christian 20.07.2012 Antalya Hilal News No source from Alanya Distortion I've been featured Christian, Şebnem G. on Symbolization 20.07.2012 Milat Column Karacan Nefretsoylemi.org, Jewish I'm proud :) Kurd, Flood of change Armenian, Mustafa Enmity / War discourse 23.07.2012 Anayurt Column and Nevruz Sınacı Turkish transformation Greek

Gangs laying carnage in villages Kerrar Esat Armenian Enmity / War discourse 23.07.2012 Yeni Çağ Column poisoned state Atalay officials with coffee Davutoğlu, wake up Greek Enmity / War discourse 23.07.2012 Yeni Çağ Column Hasan Demir and smell the coffee!

19

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

Exagerration / Attribution /

The single religion Christian, 23.07.2012 Yeni Çağ News No source Distortion project Jewish

Watching heroes Greek Enmity/War discourse 23.07.2012 Yeni Çağ Column Özcan Yeniçeri grieve With the blood of Reader Alevi Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration 23.07.2012 Yeni Akit Cumali Aksu Ahl Al-Bayt on letter their hands Exagerration / Attribution / Isparta Cake dance with Christian 23.07.2012 Column Bayram Aygün Akdeniz the priest Distortion

Why would Exagerration / Attribution / Christian 24.07.2012 Yeni Mesaj Column Nurullah Çetin Muslim Turks Distortion need the EU! Kurdish, Exagerration / Attribution / Mehmet Questions Armenian, 24.07.2012 Milli Gazete Column Distortion Şevket Eygi everybody needs Jewish

The veil, Christian, İsmail Hakkı civilization, Enmity/ War discourse 25.07.2012 Milli Gazete Column Akkiraz exhibition, Jewish ignorance Confessions of the Exagerration / Attribution / Armenian elite Armenian 26.07.2012 Anayurt Column İsa Kayacan from the eyes of Distortion Armenian thinkers Armenian, Exagerration / Attribution / Mehmet Shalom Aleyhem 26.07.2012 Milli Gazete Column Şevket Eygi Aleyhem Shalom Jewish Distortion The Armenian Armenian Symbolization 27.02.2012 Takvim, News No source tenant horror İslam, Muslim, Gölcük Women Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration 27.07.2012 Column Hilmi Özbek Belief in the Book postası and Angels (2) Armenian tenants Armenian Symbolization 27.02.2012 Milli Gazete News No source killed the landlord The trouble Mehmet Emin Christian Enmity 27.02.2012 Yeni Mesaj Column waiting for the Koç public Christian, Would the Holy Enmity/War discourse 27.07.2012 Milli Gazete Column İhsan Muslu Quran lie? Jewish Deviance on the LGBTT Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration 30.07.2012" Yeni Akit News Furkan Altınok court

Veysel I've heard you've Christian Enmity/War discourse 01.08.2012 Aydınlık News Boğatepe become a priest..

Kocaeli ENOUGH IS Armenian 01.08.2012 Derince Column Volkan Eralp ENOUGH!!! Enmity/War discourse Express

20

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

Making the Turk Christian, Exagerration / Attribution / into a "Mankurt" 02.08.2012 Yeni Mesaj Column Nurullah Çetin with a hunter's Jewish Distortion bird Quotient Christian, questions of Enmity/War discourse 02.08.2012 Yeni Mesaj Column Akın Aydın conscientious Jewish accounting LGBTT Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration 03.08.2012 Taka News No source (The Holy) Lot Armenian, Exagerration / Attribution / Mehmet On the edge of a 03.08.2012 Milli Gazete Column Şevket Eygi cliff filled with fire Jewish Distortion Aliağa Women Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration 06.08.2012 Column Simail Köylü Highlights-3 Express The humanity test Armenian Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration 06.08.2012 Yeni Akit Column Hasan Aksay of politics Christian, Exagerration / Attribution / The F-type 06.08.2012 Yeni Mesaj Column Yusuf Karaca sickness Jewish Distortion

Are PKK members Exagerration / Attribution / Ali İhsan Kurdish 06.08.2012 Yeni Akit Column the only killers of Karahasanoğlu Distortion our martyrs? Cheated on their transsexual LGBTT Symbolization 07.08.2012 Güneş News No source spouse with a transvestite Transsexual and LGBTT Symbolization 07.08.2012 Milliyet News DHA transvestite fight with a cleaver With a wish for Christian, Enmity/War discourse 07.08.2012 Yeni Mesaj Column Akın Aydın sensitive MPs to Jewish increase Kaş Aydın Kurdish Enmity/War discourse 07.08.2012 Column Hande Güllü Asking Kurds Haber Reactions pour in Exagerration / Attribution / Christian 08.08.2012 Yeni Akit News Emre Küskün to the brazen Distortion priest (+18) involves Christian, Enmity/War discourse 09.08.2012 Yeni Çağ Column Mustafa Aslan horror and Armenian violence!.. Abdülkadir Alliance of evil Christian Enmity/War discourse 09.08.2012 Milli Gazete Column Özcan against Islam Christian, Mehmet Short and sharp Armenian, Enmity/War discourse 13.08.2012 Milli Gazete Column Şevket Eygi notes Jewish

Armenian, "Quarter of Kurdish, Enmity/War discourse 14.08.2012 Yeni Çağ Column Hasan Demir Armenian blood" Greek

Umran Solez The mystery of LGBTT Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration 16.08.2012 Cumhuriyet Column Tan the Gezi Park

21

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

Exagerration / Attribution / Mehmet Jewish 17.08.2012 Milli Gazete Column Bagradunis again Şevket Eygi Distortion New activities of Ankara Son the PKK and the Armenian Enmity/War discourse 17.08.2012 News İHA Söz Armenian Diaspora Exagerration / Attribution / Mehmet Three things that Christian 22.08.2012 Anayurt Column Altıparmak hurt Distortion Let's use "done Armenian Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration 22.08.2012 Hürriyet News DHA away with" for PKK members Why can the state Exagerration / Attribution / Bursa Kurdish 22.08.2012 Column Ceyhun İrgil reach Myanmar Hakimiyet Distortion but not Hakkari? Anyone non- Mehmet A drop of Turkish Turkish and Insult 22.08.2012 Güneş Column Memiş Hoca blood non- Muslim

Lesbian lover LGBTT Symbolization 22.08.2012 Şok News No source threatens the queen Armenian, Mehmet Enmity/War discourse 22.08.2012 Milli Gazete Column The Moiz Kohens Şevket Eygi Jewish Exagerration / Attribution / Talha Danger of Zionism Jewish 22.08.2012 Yeni Akit News Çolakoğlu in Turkey Distortion Directorate of Religious Affairs is Christian, Mustafa Blasphemy/Insult/Denigration 23.08.2012 Anayurt Column responsible, Nevruz Sınacı Jewish doesn't solve problems What happens if Memduh Kurdish Enmity/War discourse 23.08.2012 Bursa Olay Column the Kurdish Bayraktaroğlu people step aside? Outside Exagerration / Attribution / Armenian 24.08.2012 Milli Gazete Column Oya Akgönenç provocations and Distortion opportunists Distortion/ Insult/ Mehmet What does Breivik Christian 25.08.2012 Zaman Column Kamış tell us? Symbolization

The land is Turkish Enmity/War discourse 27.08.2012 Milli Gazete Column Ekrem Şama slipping from Greek under us

Hrant Dink Armenian Enmity/War discourse 28.08.2012 Ortadoğu Column Şükrü Alnıaçık Foundation and the Hate Trade

22

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

"National View Exagerration / Attribution / İsmail Hakkı Jewish 29.08.2012 Milli Gazete Column Movement" will Kiraz Distortion solve terror Exagerration / Attribution / Reader Terror strikes Armenian 30.08.2012 Yeni Akit Tahsin Koç letter again Distortion Armenian, Ender Roses and thorns Enmity/War discourse 30.08.2012 Ortadoğu Column Gökdemir around Antep French Arab Blasphemy / Insult 30.08.2012 Ortadoğu Column Ali Öncü Well said, grandpa Christian, Mustafa Hilmi What's left unsaid Enmity/War discourse 31.08.2012 Yeni Çağ Column Yıldırım about terror Jewish

23

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

EXAMPLES WITHIN CATEGORIES

Enmity/ War discourse

Title: The PKK is an Armenian Terrorist Movement Newspaper: Milli Gazete Date: 04.05.2012 Type: Column Author: Mehmet Şevket Eygi

Starting right at the title, the author declares the PKK to be an Armenian organization and, despite stating that "there are claims to that end", provides no arguments supporting said claims. Instead, later in the article he convinces himself of these claims and warns the reader to "know for certain that the PKK is not a Kurdish terror organization but an Armenian terror organization."

"Proving that the PKK is a secret Armenian organization is on the government. (...) Today there are many people with Turkish names and Muslim identities who are actually crypto Armenians. No Muslim Kurd would want this country to disintegrate, this ship to sink."

The author openly presents not being Muslim as a potential reason to "wish for the country's disintegration." According to this, Armenians, who are not a Muslim people, are directly in the "enemy within" status. The author reinforces this rhetoric by bringing up the "crypto" issue, creating the perception that even if they carry a "Turkish identity," Armenians have "bad intentions" towards Turkey. While the article is forming an accusation through the PKK, this rhetoric also carries the message that Armenians are "the enemy within us," independent of the PKK. This is wholly built on a religion-centric approach, as it is guaranteed that anyone Muslim "can never harm a Turk of Turkey."

Another point is that the author, who presents the reader with a claim that he does not rest on any concrete information or document but wants to be known "for certain," demands proof from the government. According to this, the "proof" of the claim, no matter how controversial, would lead to Armenians openly becoming targets and the attribution of a problem, which is both running on political ground and involves military conflict, directly to Armenian people. In that sense, the distorted approach taken up by the article is the equivalent of declaring Kurds as the enemy through the PKK as is often done. Moreover, the author is condemning Armenians with certainty without expressing the need for any proof.

This piece openly puts Armenians in "enemy" position and implicitly reveals the distrust towards all non-Muslim communities.

24

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

25

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

Enmity/War discourse

Title: What happens if the Kurdish people step aside? Newspaper: Bursa Olay Date: 23.08.2012 Type: Column Author: Memduh Bayraktaroğlu

The author states that having changed his attitude following the Gaziantep attack, he would henceforth define "PKK terror" as "Kurdish terror." Saying that he avoided such a definition before, he states "I preferred not to implicate the ethnic roots of millions of our fellow Kurdish countrymen in this atrocity" and explains in detail how he now does and thinks of it as legitimate:

“Of course, when I say 'This is Kurdish terror' I do not mean all Kurds. But haven't we had enough? If Kurdish people withdraw from the environment where these sharks calling themselves guerillas live, which one of them could breathe for God's sake? (...) My saying 'this is Kurdish terror' is willingly, premeditated and aforethought."

The author holds Kurds responsible for the attack in Gaziantep and targets Kurdish people on the grounds of their support for the PKK. He explains his goal in his conscious preference for the expression "Kurdish terror" as "provoking Kurds that do not support the PKK." In this sense, the author differentiates Kurds as those supporting/not supporting the PKK. He threatens the non- supportive segment by saying that unless they formulate a reaction they will come under the "Kurdish terror" accusation. Hence, either way what's at hand is "Kurdish terror" according to the author.

The article was assessed in the Enmity/War Discourse category as it associated Kurds with terror based on their identity and put them in the enemy position.

26

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

27

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

Enmity/ War discourse

Title: Hrant Dink Foundation and the Hate Trade Newspaper: Ortadoğu Date: 28.08.2012 Type: Column Author: Şükrü Alnıaçık

In his article targeting the Hrant Dink Foundation, the author breeds enmity towards Armenians and justifies his murder by distorting Hrant Dink's words.

The author criticizes those who protested Dink's murder with the "We are all Armenian" slogan, directly labeling Armenians as enemies of Turkey by saying "the name of a nation, which has tried with 100 years of grudges and hate, to condemn Turkey on every platform, was preferred to Turkishness." He claims that said slogan is "hate speech against Turkishness:"

"This crowd obviously hated the 'dirty blooded Turkishness' described by Hrant, trying to get rid of this identity."

The author contorts Dink's words that led him to be sentenced for "insulting Turkishness" and claims that Dink was an "enemy to Turks," and therefore those protesting the murder are also "enemies to Turks:"

“This crowd walking in the funeral procession was either composed of crypto Armenians, who, with their intense hatred, risked everything or the people who, after coming to Istanbul, were ashamed of being peasants, being Muslims, being Turks and in order to abandon their national identity at first opportunity sometimes became Marxists, sometimes Kurdists but always enemies of the flag came together in the same ranks."

The author directly associates the segments he accuses of being "enemies of Turks" with being Armenian and strengthens the sense of Turkish-Armenian enmity that he stresses in the beginning of the article. He then ascribes responsibility to other authors who did not react to Dink's quoted words:

“In my opinion, if in Turkey a 'discursive' response had been given to the 'Turk's dirty blood' expression, a response in 'action' would not have been necessary."

Claiming that an 'action' response has been given to Dink's words, which he distorts when quoting, he declares that Dink deserved this and that he agrees with the murderer, thereby legitimizing the murder.

Heavily insulting the Hrant Dink Foundation in the following parts of his article and calling hate speech reports "spying with EU funds " the author defends his own writing, featured in the report, as not being hate speech:

“Yes, I see 120-year old enemies of Turks as voluntary PKK supporters and as people prone to spying against Turkey. Where is hate in all of this? Is there any insult to faith, identity or denomination here?"

28

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

With these words, while claiming the opposite, the author becomes the producer of hate speech in a way that completely overlaps with the definition.

The author, who in the beginning of the article claims that Armenians "harbor 100 years of grudge and hatred towards Turks," relays Dink's words with distortions, providing them as the evidence for Armenian enmity towards Turks. According to the author, in this case, people reacting to Dink's murder are also enemies of Turks and most probably actually Armenian. Extending the logical fallacy, the author confesses that he sees Armenians as "voluntary PKK supporters and prone to spying," impelling the reader to also think this way and explicitly breeding hostility towards Armenians.

While the author's claims about the Hrant Dink Foundation include heavy insults to an institution, based on hate speech being identified in content targeting ethnic-religious-national identities, it was not evaluated as hate speech. With that said, the author, who described the Foundation as "Asala sympathizers, hate's bloody-handed children," also made a target of the Hrant Dink Foundation with these statements. In this sense, it is quite ironic that while trying to compel attention to hate speech in the media, the Foundation has been targeted within the frame of enmity towards Dink and Armenians and through the very rhetoric being criticized. Although not very frequent, these types of articles are significant in their portrayal of how easy and, to an extent, valid it still is to accuse a person, institution or group of "being enemies of Turks" and targeting them, despite claims that improvements have been made in hate speech in the media.

29

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

Symbolization

Title: Separatism by Rakel Dink Newspaper: Yeni Akit Date: 11.07.2012 Type: News Author: Yeni Akit

Yeni Akit newspaper, which published the news of Rakel Dink's Uludere visit, channeled their reaction to Dink by stressing Dink's Armenian identity, in the typical news language they have embraced. Right on the outset of the piece, the information is given that Dink "gave shocking statements to a news agency known for its proximity to the terrorist organization," thereby both scandalizing the event and giving the reader an idea about Dink's attitude towards "the terrorist organization." Following that, Dink's statements are related in an aggressive and vulgar manner:

“…while Dink was expected to express her condolences, she once again attacked Turkey with political propaganda and statements reeking of separatism. Speaking to the so-called news agency DIHA, known for its proximity to the terrorist organization, Dink claimed that Armenians were massacred in 1915, egged the peasants on saying they 'should receive their education in their native language' and sent the state a message saying 'you will either grant all of the rights or be disintegrated'."

This section stresses that Rakel Dink engaged in "separatism." The expression "while she was expected to express her condolences..." implies that Dink is there to not give her condolences but to engage in "separatism." The comment regarding "attacking Turkey again" points at her many previous attacks on Turkey, thereby ensuring there is no doubt of Dink being a "separatist." In this sense, the language of the news article is constructed in such a way that it takes sides rather than giving the reader a chance to think and it has a negative attitude concerning Dink. Later Dink's being Armenian is stressed, but this is done in a way that is peculiar to Turkish media, as a "supporting element of crime:"

“Rakel Dink, who is known to have been born in a village near Silopi, as a child of the Armenian Varto tribe, spoke in Kurdish to the families of those losing their lives in Uludere."

The finishing element of the negative framework surrounding Rakel Dink in the beginning of the article is that she is Armenian, and speaks Kurdish as if that is not enough. The article does not feature Dink's conversation with the families she visited or her participation in women's elegies, despite this being available in other news sources. In short, Rakel Dink is defined with details with which the newspaper wants to display her in a news story where humane elements are eliminated. This method has previously been criticized as a method used for especially BDP parlamentarians.

In conclusion, the paper combines the "dangerous" image that it presents through Dink being Armenian, thereby using being Armenian in a way that would have a negative connotation. This is why the story was categorized under Symbolization.

30

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

31

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

Symbolization

Title: Yes to caesarean section! Abortion will depend Newspaper: Milat Date: 31.05.2012 Type: Column Author: Şebnem G. Karacan

The author deals with the dabate on the abortion law, and defending its necessity under certain conditions, asks "why should women raped in wars give birth to children of infidels?" The author reinforces the popularly used negative connotation of the word "gavur" (non-believer, non-Muslim) by placing "gavur" as the rapist. This expression was assessed as hate speech under the Symbolization category as it contains a perception that in wars only non-Muslims rape and only Muslims are victims.

In another column, titled "I was featured on Nefretsoylemi.org and I'm proud:)" (20.07.2012), in which the author talks about being featured on nefretsoylemi.org with the above mentioned article but not minding the criticism, she responds as the following:

"I still don't understand why the word gavur here is taken to be necessarily Christian or Jewish! (Actually we all know that it is Muslim women that get raped in wars as well as who rapes them. It's not the aliens after all.) This word gavur is not only used for people of other faiths. It's a conventional word. A two-word explanation that has stuck to our language, that we use conventionally. 'Son of gavur'..."

In this column, the author clearly states her idea that "rapists are non-Muslims and rape victims are Muslims." Under this light, it becomes apparent that she had used the word gavur in its negative connotation. It is undeniable that many discriminatory phrases including the word gavur are widely used in everyday language, but it is also necessary to stress that this situation leads to a religious centric "us-them" discourse when it is constantly reproduced in the media under various pretexts.

These two articles, together with other content in which the word ‘Gavur’ was used in a similar manner, were classified under the Symbolization category.

32

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

33

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

Blasphemy / Insult / Denigration

Title: The solution in Cyprus is to fully embrace TRNC Newspaper: Yeniçağ Date: 23.05.2012 Type: Column Author: Hüseyin Macit Yusuf

The author, who talks about the criticisms of Greek Cypriot minister Silikiotis on Turkish and Northern Cypriot attitudes in the Cyprus problem, defines this and similar statements as "Greek ugliness, disgrace." He follows by heavily insulting the (Cypriot) Greek society and claims that it is impossible to live in Cyprus together with Greeks:

“Those who are trying to unite us under a common state with these people, these bloodsucking vampires who keep promising in their churches to suck Turkish blood, with our murderers, should really be ashamed. What makes anyone think that we can live together with these racist fascists who have lost their humanity to the extent that they can say 'the best Turk is a dead Turk'.”

The author is insulting the Greek public based on the claim that it is an "enemy to Turks," turning a political problem into a conflict between the two publics. In that sense, the article was categorized under Blasphemy/ Insult/ Denigration.

34

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

35

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

Exagerration/ Attribution/ Distortion

Title: They've turned Turkey into a church Newspaper: Yeni Mesaj Date: 03.07.2012 Type: Haber Author: İHA

The subject of the story is a group of 130 Greeks, who had migrated from Kütahya to Greece, coming to Kütahya and holding a religious ceremony in a hotel because of the church not being available. The language of the story is built around the discomfort felt at this situation and the group, who hold the ritual in the name of their grandparents that migrated, are defined as missionaries:

“Coming to Turkey in large groups, missionaries have almost turned our country into a church by holding religious rituals at every opportunity they get."

The stress on the largeness of the groups, is used to strengthen the warning regarding the size of the "danger;" said groups hold rituals "every chance they get," therefore this situation is implied to be planned and continuous. In this regard, the reader is given the message that the group has a different secret agenda, followed by the revelation that they are missionaries aiming to "turn our country into a church." In this way, the news story distorts the given situation -Greek group coming to Kütahya to hold the ceremony and ending up doing it in the hotel because of the problem with the venue- and created the perception of the Greek/Christian group threatening Muslims. The story was categorized under Exagerration/ Attribution/ Distortion due to these reasons.

36

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

OTHER DISADVANTAGED GROUPS

Content of a total of 35 items, which were not included in the first section because of the specific groups they targeted such as LGBT and women, were assessed separately in this section, and examples were used that analyze the content from a discursive perspective.

In the majority of the examined content (64%), expressions containing humiliation and insults towards homosexuals were noted. These types of news articles or columns were noted as explicitly defining homosexuality as deviance, illness, indecency or "social calamity." Just as in previous periods, the noteworthy element in content concerning transvestites and transsexuals (27%) was the tendency to associate these groups with crime. The content of the news articles and columns targeting women (8%) was also dominated by a derogatory style, although not as explicit and direct as expressions targeting homosexuals.

Graph 15 Hate Speech Towards LGBT and Women

The definition of hate speech as defined in the Recommendation issued by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in 1997:

"All forms of expression which spread, incite, promote or justify racial hatred, xenophobia, antisemitism or other forms of hatred based on intolerance, including: intolerance expressed by aggressive nationalism and ethnocentrism, discrimination and hostility against minorities, migrants and people of immigrant origin."

The reason we separately assessed these 35 items in line with the definition above is that they construct discriminating, excluding or derogatory discourses towards LGBT individuals and women in terms of the rhetoric they contain or the general meaning they exude, or that they create peripheral meanings that will legitimize or feed discrimination produced within that framework.

37

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

Blasphemy/ Insult/ Denigration

Title: A mind eclipse-1: Legitimizing (!) and defending (!) a life style that has declared war on human nature and progeny Newspaper: Milli Gazete Date: 01.06.2012 Type: Column Author: Burhanettin Can

In this article, the author, who strongly opposes freedom for homosexuality as well as stripping away discrimination towards homosexuals from the new constitution, explicitly defines homosexuality as "dangerous." He criticizes programs aired on the topic, RTUK's (Radio and Television Supreme Council) not penalizing "defense of homosexuality," and the support from BDP and CHP for gay rights. Referring to former Minister of Family Selma Aliye Kavaf's statement that she saw "homosexuality as a condition," the author positions those "defending homosexuality" opposite her and claims this group is going through a "mind eclipse."

According to the author, homosexuality is "a life style that has declared war on human nature and progeny" and the first reaction to attempts at defending this life style has been given in the title with exclamation marks.

The author, who has in his previous columns listed reasons why homosexuality cannot be viewed as a right, defines it as "lack of morals, an attack on the family institution, more dangerous and harmful than smoking:"

"With its decision, (RTUK) has given legitimacy to insults to the institution of family, beliefs, public values and to homosexual propaganda. (...) If homosexuality is not perversion, then what's the point of fooling the public (!) by having the 'principle of not airing anything that is detrimental to the public's national and moral values, general morality and protection of the family'? (...) Adultery and homosexuality cannot be seen as human rights, and they cannot be part of freedom of expression. Homosexuality is more dangerous and harmful than smoking."

Seeing homosexuality as a direct threat to the institution of family and public values, the author criticized individuals and institutions that have stated opposing views; going as far as claiming homosexuality cannot be seen as "a human right." In this regard, the author not only insults homosexuals, but he is also breeding discriminative/excluding discourse towards a group because of their sexual orientation.

Note: The author continued his hostility towards homosexuals, claiming in his previous column that homosexuality cannot be seen as a right, while maintaining in the following one that giving homosexuals constitutional guarantees "might be a European Union project, a treacherous plan." Both pieces have been included in the report.

38

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

39

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

Blasphemy/ Insult/ Denigration

Title: If I sighed (Chocolate with a vibrator) Newspaper: Habertürk Date: 15.07.2012 Type: Column Author: Fatih Altaylı

In the part of his column titled "chocolate with a vibrator," Fatih Altaylı, says that bath soap, ice cream and chocolate commercials are sexualized in their set up and that he can't stand them:

“Does this kind of ice cream-eating even exist in the world? If someone who eats their ice cream in this manner gets raped, it would be a mitigating circumstance in court."

In his article talking about commercials that use female sexuality, the author takes up female expression of sexuality as a type of provocation and adopts a discourse that legitimizes rape by claiming this would "be a mitigating circumstance in court in case of rape." In this sense the author shares the mentality that sees rape as justified because the woman is wearing a revealing top; he reduces a crime such as rape to how the woman looks/acts and places the rapist in a victim position.

40

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

Symbolization

Title: Transsexual and transvestite fight with a cleaver Newspapers: Milliyet (Güneş, Posta, Şok, Yurt) Date: 07.08.2012 Type: Haber Author: DHA

The story, which was featured on five different newspapers, is about a fight between two people, one of these people being injured with a cleaver upon the situation intensifying. This "3rd page" story, where such news of violence, murder, accidents and robberies are gathered, presents a seemingly "ordinary" fight by associating it with sexual identities of the parties and thus causing it to acquire "news value." This method, which is often applied for the 3rd page news in Turkish media, has a reductionist approach, seeking to explain events such as extortion, fights or stabbing that happen everywhere in the world irrespective of ethnic-sexual-religious-national identity through the parties being a transvestite and transsexual. In this respect, highlighting their being a transvestite and transsexual and giving the reader information they don't need, a specific framework for reading is being drawn that contributes to the negative perception about said groups.

Milliyet, 07.08.2012

41

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

Şok, 07.08.2012

Yurt Gazetesi, 07.08.2012

42

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

MEDIA CRITICISM

The last section of the Media Watch on Hate Speech report is comprised of news stories and opinion columns that are analyzed from a rhetorical perspective under 3 separate headings. Within this framework, (a) The front page of the Sözcü newspaper devoted to the Dağlıca incident, dated 21.06.2012, (b) debates that started around the abortion law and reactions to the "My body my decision" campaign started by bianet and (c) content about the campaign that Yeni Akit and Habervaktim.com started by targeting Ali Bayramoğlu and later expanded to target Hasan Cemal, Cengiz Çandar and many other journalists-authors in various sources were analyzed.

These news articles/ columns were not included in statistical analyses due to technical- yet different reasons. With that said, war mongering, targeting a press organ because of a campaign it started as well as the people participating in said campaign or producing hate speech towards individual journalists because of their political views are not cases we could have isolated from a study on hate speech in the media. In this sense, the aim in this section is both to see how the current discourses on targeting, distortion and insulting are constructed and, as also pointed out in previous reports, (especially along the axis of the Kurdish and Armenian issues), to show how the grounding is laid for legitimizing hate speech.

Sözcü’s call for revenge: Stop crying, do whatever is necessary

The Sözcü paper has covered the ceremony of sending the bodies of the 8 soldiers that were killed in the PKK's Dağlıca attack to their hometowns and reactions from the soldiers' families. The "Stop crying, do whatever is necessary" headline is referring to Necdet Özel, Chief of General Staff, who cried during the funeral ceremony. Right above the headline is the sentence that reads, "This pain will not subside through tears but only the flag that will be planted in Kandil."

In the lower half of the page, the wife of one of the soldiers saying "my son will shoot him (the killer)!" is featured in the subheading, emphasizing the "revenge" sentiment. The editorial right next to it, titled "shooters don't deserve roses!" criticizes the government for not having a tough enough "counter terror" policy.

The PKK attack, which the paper reported in its upper headline calling it a "treacherous attack," is made to be associated with the massacre in Uludere, which was inflicted on civilians and resulted in the death of 35 people: "They came in dressed as smugglers and attacked our soldiers." The lead is as follows:

“The Uludere incident caused vulnerability for the fight against terror... The PKK is using this. If you hit, it's Uludere, if you don't, martyrs are born!.."

Using wording that justify the killing of 35 civilians in Uludere, the paper stresses that "not hitting (Kurdish targets) will cause martyrs," thus calling for hitting the suspects without an inquiry into whether they are "smugglers" or not. The paper also puts an open call to the General Staff, ordering "to do what is necessary" and suggesting "planting the flag in Kandil2" by intensifying the current conflict environment.

2 A major PKK Camp in Northern Iraq

43

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

Using rather agitating language, the paper speaks to feelings of hatred and revenge in the reader, engaging in explicit war mongering. To that end, the paper emphasizes "pain, revenge, tears," employing the discourse of "us-them" with quite a distance from the language of peace.

It won't be a novel criticism to state that while not as hard as the example in the Sözcü case, when it comes to reporting conflict/terror news, the prevalent attitude in the Turkish media is still somewhat akin to it. With that said, it is thought that exposing the heightened perception of "us-them," especially during the periods of intensifying conflict, the focus on "number of deaths," which pits the media in a sort of competition, as well as exposing publications that employ a statist/militarist discourse as "war journalism," will contribute to decreasing hate speech which feeds from this area immensely.

For this reason, it might be useful to call attention to the principles of peace journalism in the name of developing a more responsible journalism language during periods of conflict3:

 Avoid portraying a conflict as only between two sides. Because the logical conclusion of portraying it as such will be one side losing and the other winning.  Avoid making sharp differentiations such as 'Me' and 'the other.' If you do this, the other side will be constructed as a "threat" or "enemy," which will be used in justifying violence.  Do not act like the conflict is only taking place at the time and place the violence is happening. Instead, try to trace the outcomes of the conflict affecting people in other places, now and in the future, as well as the connections.  Do not evaluate an act of violence or policies of violence only from the perspective of their visible affect. Instead, try and produce news on the less visible sides of violence, such as the consequences of psychological damage and trauma or the possibility of the victims of violence to inflict it upon other people or on other groups in the future.  Avoid defining the parties with explanations that contain only the familiar demands or positions that come from their leaders. Instead, aim for deeper ground, questioning how people are affected by the conflict in their daily lives, what people want to change, whether the best or only way for the desired change to happen is the path shown by the leaders.  Avoid covering only the acts of violence and describing the "atrocity." If you exclude everything else, you would be implying that the only explanation for violence is prior violence (revenge).  Avoid pointing fingers at those responsible for the violence. Instead, try to see how common problems can lead to situations not desired by anyone.  Do not only focus on the pains, fears and affliction of one of the parties. Such a focus will separate parties as "villains" and "victims" and imply that the solution lies in punishing the villains. Instead, adopt an attitude in which pains, fears and afflictions of all sides are equally news-worthy.  Don't wait for suggestions for a solution to come from the leaders on "our" side. Instead, assess all peace attempts no matter where they come from.

3 Barış Gazeteciliği (Peace Journalism), Süleyman İrvan http://globalmedia- tr.emu.edu.tr/bahar2006/Baris_Gazeteciligi/baris%20gazeteciligi.%20s%C3%BCleyman%20irvan.pdf

44

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

45

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

b- Your Body, My Decision...

Yeni Akit paper targets the participants of the "My Body My Decision" campaign started by bianet against the abortion ban, with its upper-half headline that reads "'Creatures lesser than animals' are on stage for abortion." The lead of the story says that the 'lesser than animals" phrase is quoted from the Afar Sura in the Quran and describes those participating in the campaign who completely disregard concepts of "morals, decency and modesty." The paper accuses those participating in the campaign and opposing the abortion ban of asking for "freedom to murder," and says that participants have been "outed" through their appearance in the campaign.

The article's subheading says "While trying to oppose (the possible ban), they have completely let go of decency," and it is claimed that the slogans used in the campaign have caused an uproar among the public.

Yeni Akit is insulting people who have willingly expressed their opinions within a campaign started against the government's regulations on abortion. Acting as guardians of morality and quoting the Quran, they are describing a group as "lacking morality or shame" and defining them as "lower than animals." In doing this, the paper is reporting the campaign in the story not to inform the readers or get them to think on the ongoing debate but to create polarization through the abortion issue and take up the defense of the legal regulation at hand by insulting those opposing the law. In this framework, they are both insulting the participants of the campaign, which includes a large number of journalists, artists and writers, and targeting bianet, which is the media organ starting the campaign.

Another article targeting bianet's said campaign is the opinion column titled "My Comment, My Life" published in Milat on 14 June 2012. In the article signed by Yakup Köse, women that have protested the abortion ban by writing slogans on their various body parts are accused of exhibitionism and insulted:

“…anyone carrying the slightest bit of human sentiment will not help but wonder 'how these toilet rats came to be born'."

According to the author, women are "despicable" both for writing slogans on their bodies and sharing them with the public and for opposing the said law. Here the author approaches the protest, which was mostly carried out by women, with a moralist attitude, much like the one in Yeni Akit, targeting women that are defending an earned right.

46

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

47

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

c- Yeni Akit and Habervaktim to journalists: pro-DPI, pro-PKK, pro-Armenian...

This section deals with the smear campaign that was first started by habervaktim.com against journalist-author Ali Bayramoğlu with the accusation that he was "acting on behalf of Armenians," and was later extended to target many journalist-authors, Cengiz Çandar and Hasan Cemal principal among them.

A part of the content targeting Ali Bayramoğlu was included in the statistical analyses since he was accused of "enmity against Turks" due to claims of him being Armenian. These were assessed as hate speech as being Armenian was seen here as an element of insult.

An example to this kind of content is Ankara Haber Vaktim's article dated June 26, 2012, titled "Is it fascist to say he's acting on behalf of Armenians?" The article, penned by Habervaktim.com Editor in Chief Fatih Akkaya, opens up Ali Bayramoğlu's identity to discussion in the following way:

“Imagine a writer known to all of Turkey... His name is Ahmet, Mehmet, Ali doesn't matter... This author, whom everyone knows to be Turkish and Muslim, is in reality of a different race. But the public that respects his work does not know this. This is being kept secret from the public. One could ask why this matters. (...) However... if he approaches events motivated by this race, if he writes his articles with the impetus of this actual race... This has to be known. It is one thing for Agopyan to say that Armenians have been subject to genocide in our country, quite another thing for Ali to say it. It is altogether a different matter when Agopyan disguised as Ali is the one saying it."

This article brings up Ali Bayramoğlu's views on something as critical to the political life in Turkey as the Armenian genocide in conjunction with the implication that the author is a "crypto Armenian" and explicitly says that there is a difference between an Armenian saying "the genocide exists" and a Turk saying the same thing. The author is therefore setting up a direct connection between being Armenian and coming up with "anti-Turkey" theses and in this way uses being Armenian as an instrument of insult.

Other than the above, the campaign condemns certain writers based on their political opinions, announces the Democratic Development Institute (DPI), a civilian institution, as a "front organization of the PKK" and claims that writers attending these meetings is the evidence to the accusations directed at them. It shows the letter sent by Şemdin Sakık to Yeni Akit as a source whose accuracy cannot be disputed, while writers' statements are presented to the audience as either clipped arbitrarily in multiple places or distorted and morphed into the desired shape.

In Ankara Haber Vaktim's news story dated 23.08.2012 and titled “Why liberal writers couldn't write their columns," the fact that Cengiz Çandar's, Hasan Cemal's and Ali Bayramoğlu’s annual leave coincided with PKK's Gaziantep attack is constructed as these writers "taking a break from writing to avoid criticism." The article uses Cengiz Çandar's photograph within another photograph taken in the aftermath of the bomb attack in Gaziantep showing a burning bus and burning surroundings, with the intention of creating the impression that Çandar is the culprit. Elements such as Bayramoğlu's criticisms of Turkey's Armenian policy or Çandar "commending the PKK more than the most fanatical PKK member" -in reference to Sakık's letter- are reminded again and again as strengthening factors, and the fact that these writers were using their annual leave is presented as a sign that the accusations against them are "accurate."

In another news piece by Ankara Haber Vaktim dated 24.07.2012 and titled “The same crew is on the stage once again", Cengiz Çandar, Ali Bayramoğlu and Mithat Sancar, accompanied by their photos,

48

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012 are referred to as "the names of the DPI, which has been revealed to be PKK's front organization." The same piece talks about the mentioned writers' criticism of the obstruction of the demonstration BDP wanted to hold in Diyarbakır on July 14th and their calls for the resignation of İdris Naim Şahin, Minister of Interior Affairs, who addressed BDP's MPs as "pitiful." Publishing the names of every single person supporting this initiative under the title of "so called intellectuals," the paper targets the signatories with clichéd expressions such as "the same gang is on the stage, they wanted İdris Naim Şahin's head." The piece also brands the participants of the protests as "proponents of terror," therefore labeling said writers as the group "protecting terror supporters."

Another piece by Ankara Haber Vaktim dated 29.08.2012 and titled “How will the Çandars answer this?" is based on the claims that Çandar sent his regards to the PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan. The article refers to Çandar's and Bayramoğlu's reactions to Habervaktim and Akit as a "smearing campaign," then proceeds to claim Çandar sent his regards to Öcalan by featuring statements claimed to be quoted from the meeting between Öcalan and his lawyers. Through these statements, Çandar is once again linked to the PKK's Gaziantep attack and is accused of "propagating on behalf of the terrorist organization."

Yeni Akit's story dated 10.08.2012 and titled “Bombs from Sakık” features the letter sent by Şemdin Sakık from the Diyarbakır Prison that targets names such as Cengiz Çandar, Hasan Cemal, Aysel Tuğluk and Mihri Belli. The concerned writers are presented to the reader accompanied by their photos and quotes from the letter, as if the accuracy of Sakık's claims have been verified:

“Aysel Tuğluk: She is a Kemalist, atheist and is lacking a nation. She is part of the secular elite and has received political instruction from CHP.

Hasan Cemal: Flew to Kandil when he couldn't go to İmralı. Sanctified and elevated the Öcalan- Karayılan duo.

Cengiz Çandar: Commends and amplifies the PKK and its chief more than the most fanatical PKK member.

Mihri Belli: Said that the 'Turkish left is standing straight thanks to this war.' Prevented the laying down of arms."

The rest of the piece features the details given in the letter, once again stressing Çandar's "praise for the PKK" by referring to the report he prepared on the solution of the Kurdish issue. Hasan Cemal's interview with Murat Karayılan in Kandil, on the other hand, is construed as his "declaration of Öcalan and Karayılan as peace doves." The article also relays claims such as Yalçın Küçük saying "give my brother Öcalan the value he deserves," and PKK being "controlled by leftist Alevis."

The paper continues its smearing campaign on Çandar and Cemal through Sakık's letter, by publishing it without any editorial distance and presenting Şemdin Sakık as an "authority," once again putting these writers on the target.

In an interview he gave addressing the claims, Cengiz Çandar assessed the part about Şemdin Sakık's letter in the following way[1]:

“Akit published stories along the lines of "our sympathy for the PKK" out of the letter Şemdin Sakık sent them. Şemdin Sakık is in the Diyarbakır prison. He's in the hands of the state. He was previously part of the memorandum due to his confessions. The fact of it being a lie or scheme came out later. Now it's the same thing. Be it Şemdin Sakık or not, why do our names come forward all of a sudden?

49

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

We have been criticizing the government's Kurdish policies during the recent periods. We are telling them "you are doing it wrong, you are not on the right track." As someone who has been screaming that the KCK operations are wrong and we are being dragged to an inextricable situation, I have been made the target of discrediting. Those who are having Akit write all of this are the same circles. Akit is only the intermediary here. What they are doing is not journalism."

For their next piece on the subject, in order to respond to the reaction against the paper in the media following their campaign targeting journalists based on Sakık's letter, Yeni Akit reported on the support they received from politicians. Within this context, certain names from political parties on the nationalist-conservative spectrum (MHP, BBP, SP, AKP) were given a voice, and the claims on these journalists being "supporters of the terror organization, being against Turkey, criticizing the Turkish Armed Forces, being enemies of the nation and the homeland" were once again reproduced, this time as coming from these politicians. In this context, Akit is only providing a space for those groups that endorse their coverage concerning the names they are targeting, while brushing aside the reactions of the critical groups as "smearing campaigns against the paper."

On another news article dated 31.08.2012, the paper reports on the amassed reaction against its coverage targeting journalists under the title of "The anti-Akit block," claiming this time that Ali Bayramoğlu may be transferring to Sabah daily with a substantial salary. Additionally, on the upper right corner of the page, there is a box with photos of writers such as Cengiz Çandar, Oral Çalışlar, Ahmet Altan, Nuray Mert, Yasemin Çongar and Mehmet Ali Birand, with the caption "Turkish left" on the side, and "You are all baby killers" on top, under which it says "Evidently this is what liberals are called by adolescents when they deny their own roots..." Accusing the writers, whose exact likeness have been used, of being baby killers, the paper does not specify whom this expression belongs to, settling with the general phrase of "adolescent."

It would be insufficient to merely say that Habervaktim and Yeni Akit's targeting of journalists and writers over their dissenting attitudes on the Kurdish and Armenian issues is not compatible with journalism. Especially in fields such as the Kurdish and Armenian issues that contain significant amounts of conflict, the repercussions of which quite often manifest themselves in everyday life, these papers are condemning and openly targeting journalists because of their ideas. Considering that more than 60 journalists have been killed in Turkey because of the inconvenience caused by their writing and ideas, and, as a very recent example, the media coverage about Hrant Dink, as well as the step by step targeting in the wake of his assassination, the gravity of the campaign run by Yeni Akit and Habervaktim may be more clearly understood.

The reason these articles were not included in the statistical analyses was that these writers were targeted over their political opinions and not ethnic, religious or national identities, therefore the given publications were not suitable for assessment within the context of hate speech.

50

Hate Speech in the Media: May-August 2012

51